Outside Play

Words and pictures can’t tell you what a nursery is REALLY like, that’s why we would love to show you

Outside Play

We pride ourselves on our extensive outdoor area. We emphasise that the outdoors is as much part of a child’s learning environment as the indoor environment.

Our Garden

A hard surface area runs the length of our garden for activities to take place such as riding on trikes and bikes, our football and Mighty Monster sessions, chalking on pavements, exploring the water area and somewhere for the children to run, jump and skip. A separate fenced area camouflaged in bark makes a fantastic mud kitchen enabling children to explore using a range of natural and heuristic open-ended resources.

We have three sheds, running down the side of our garden. A resource shed, enabling staff to rotate resources within the garden and enhance areas throughout the year. A large cosy cottage for our youngest explorers, offers a calming, stimulating environment, full of resources including natural objects, balls, musical instruments, mirrors, textured rugs and hanging materials. The cosy cottage has its own enclosed astro-turf area, where babies can safely crawl and observe other children from a safe space.

We have our very own Gruffalo cottage (ideal for small groups activities) situated on a large decking area. We also have a separate decking area which can be used by the under 2 year olds. It has a sand area and mud kitchen as well as a cosy, sheltered area allowing children to hide, relax and sleep in the outdoor environment. Our hidden tunnels, steps and grassed hilled area lead to our other areas full of more learning opportunities. Children can dig and transport objects in our barked construction area. Children’s imaginations will flourish when exploring our pirate ship. Explorers can venture beyond the branches to discover magical fairy doors as well as exploring an array of mini beasts. We have a large tree with rope swings, a wicker tepee as well as a large tractor tyre, balancing beams an all situated at the top of our garden. Our other shed provides us with a safe, secure area to store our prams/pushchairs, ideal for when parents/carers are dropping off and collecting children at different times.

We also have a hidden ‘secret garden’ which is predominantly used by our pre-school children, where they can investigate and understand the world further. We have two potting sheds for children to plant seeds and grow their own flowers, herbs and vegetables to use to enhance activities such as printing and cooking as well as learning about growth and decay.

The staff plan the children’s play with a balance of adult-led and child-led activities to help children think critically and be active and creative learners. They develop greater awareness of the environment as they become totally engrossed in their play. There are opportunities for imaginative play to develop their curiosity and the children can choose to work collaboratively or independently to help them make sense of the world about them.

Additional Services at Nursery

In addition to the education we provide within the nursery, we also offer extracurricular activities for all of our children aged 2 years+. These include:

Mighty Monsters – a multi-sports program designed to improve children’s functional movement, coordination, balance, fine and gross motor skills through the use of fun games.

Pass Soccer Academy – A football programme that develops children’s mobility through the use of fun, nurturing games. Your child will develop invaluable fine and gross motor skills, balance, hand, ball and foot coordination in a safe, non-competitive environment.

These classes are at an additional cost and take place during the nursery day in our outdoor area. Each class takes place over a block of weeks that can be subscribed to periodically. Subscription letters will be distributed accordingly, but you can register your interest with reception at any time. Days and times of these experiences do vary, but all take place on site. If your child does not attend nursery on the selected day but you wish for them to participate in the classes, then you are more than welcome to bring them along for the session. Spaces are limited and places are given on a first come first served basis.

Children benefit greatly from the exciting outdoor play areas that are used creatively to enhance all areas of learning. They develop their physical skills as they balance, jump and ride bikes and scooters. Younger children run on the grassed area with exuberance, as they are looking for, and then chased by, a character from a popular children’s book running and hiding in tunnels and dens. Younger children discover how to make marks outside, using water and paint brushes, which are easy for them to hold. They concentrate when making marks and babble to the staff when they are asked about their drawings, helping develop their listening and speaking skills. Children are intrigued by the arrival of a large box and instantly talk about what they can make. Staff discuss making a fire engine as suggested by one child. They plan what they will need and how they will make it. Staff offer support when required, such as cutting the edges, but are skilled in allowing children to take the lead, choose their own resources plan and carry through to completion……..Ofsted